Section 116760.20.

Unless the context otherwise requires, the following definitions govern the construction of this chapter:

(a) "Acceptable result" means the project that, when constructed, solves the problem for which the project was placed on the project priority list established pursuant to Section 116760.70, ensures the owner and operator of the improved or restructured public water system shall have long-term technical, managerial, and financial capacity to operate and maintain the public water system in compliance with state and federal safe drinking water standards, can provide a dependable source of safe drinking water long-term, and is both short-term and long-term affordable, as determined by applicable regulations adopted by the department.

(b) "Cost-effective project" means a project that achieves an acceptable result at the most reasonable cost.

(c) "Department" means the State Department of Public Health.

(d) "Disadvantaged community" means a community that meets the definition provided in Section 116275.

(e) "Federal Safe Drinking Water Act" or "federal act" means the federal Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 300f et seq.) and acts amendatory thereof or supplemental thereto.

(f) "Fund" means the Safe Drinking Water State Revolving Fund created by Section 116760.30.

(g) "Funding" means a loan or grant, or both, awarded under this chapter.

(h) "Matching funds" means state money that equals that percentage of federal contributions required by the federal act to be matched with state funds.

(i) "Project" means proposed facilities for the construction, improvement, or rehabilitation of a public water system, and may include all items set forth in Section 116761 as necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter. It also may include refinancing loans, annexation or consolidation of water systems, source water assessments, source water protection, and other activities specified under the federal act.

(j) "Public agency" means any city, county, city and county, whether general law or chartered, district, joint powers authority, or other political subdivision of the state, that owns or operates a public water system.

(k) "Public water system" or "public water supply system" means a system for the provision to the public of water for human consumption, as defined in Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 116270), as it may be amended from time to time.

(l) "Reasonable amount of growth" means an increase in growth not to exceed 10 percent of the design capacity needed, based on peak flow, to serve the water and fire flow demand in existence at the time plans and specifications for the project are approved by the department, over the 20-year useful life of a project. For projects other than the construction of treatment plants including, but not limited to, storage facilities, pipes, pumps, and similar equipment, where the 10-percent allowable growth cannot be adhered to due to the sizes of equipment or materials available, the project shall be limited to the next available larger size.

(m) "Safe drinking water standards" means those standards established pursuant to Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 116270), as they may now or hereafter be amended.

(n) "Severely disadvantaged community" means a community with a median household income of less than 60 percent of the statewide average.

(o) "Supplier" means any person, partnership, corporation, association, public agency, or other entity that owns or operates a public water system.

(Amended by Stats. 2011, Ch. 515, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2012.)